The Slice of Life You Need: Yotsuba&!
Slice of life mangas are pretty dull - nothing ever happens, and that’s the point of this literary genre.
When there’s so much space for life-altering creativity and realm-crossing gateways, picking a manga that solely revolves around the normality of an average person’s life seems counter-intuitive. And, though it is true that this kind of book is doomed when executed wrong, slice of life can be exceptional, if not wholly life-changing. The 2003 manga Yotsuba&! is exactly what you always needed, but never knew.
Yotsuba&! is a manga of 15 volumes revolving around the eventful life of Yotsuba, a green-haired five-year-old girl, and her fascination for the mundane. Yotsuba is the adopted daughter of Yousuke Koiwai, a warm and pleasant father, and due to her sheltered beginning of life, the viewer discovers the beauty in the most boring, daily happenings. Jumbo, Yousuke’s best friend, as well as the neighbors, partake in the little girl’s sedentary adventures, creating this picturesque found family in a tranquil Japanese neighborhood.
The manga was a huge success early on: not only is the character of the young girl funny in a wholesome way, but every little story is charming and heartwarming. When you just need a break from adulthood tasks and gaping blues, the perfect escape is a childlike wonder, as symbolized through the lively character of Yotsuba. Though idealized, it reflects the life of an average Japanese father and daughter bonding through familiar moments, and inspires the reader to find joy in everything - after all, every day can be the best day of your life.
Divided into a timeline that respectively follows every episode, it’s easy to get sucked into this manga, with the low stress, easy-to-follow dialogues, and pages. The whole idea sprouted from a one-shot the author Kiyohiko Azuma wrote in 1998, where some of the side characters appear.
It’s hard to describe how lovely Yotsuba&! is; not a single moment is wasted and proves that we don’t need to “have it all” to be happy.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
